Psalm 22 – Part 5 – The Suffering God

Psalm 22, Part V

Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. Psalm 22:23

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. (Proverbs 2:1-9)

Verse 23 of Psalm 22 takes us deeper into the mind of God, although He has risen from the dead, He has a new work to do. He must minister unto His brethren; to the Jew first, the seed of Jacob (the Supplanter) changed to the seed of Israel ( a Prince with God); therefore, the gospel goes first out to the Israel of God, the sons of Jacob, the Supplanter, to be changed into the children which God hath given Him; that they may be a Kingdom of kings and priests to the Lord of Glory. The gospel also goes out to the Gentiles, both Jew and Gentile will reign with Him in glory, all has been given to Christ, both Jew and Gentile in the Church age are the sons of God. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16) From our heart we cry out, ‘I am my beloved and he is mine.’ Verse 23 begins with the fear of the Lord, how much is lost in this world, for the present world has no fear of God in them. Is it any wonder that knowledge is fleeing away, that wisdom is unknown, and there is no holiness or righteousness among men. Every day I see more and more the progression of evil against the people of God. But God is over all, and for us, Jesus Christ is made unto us wisdom, and knowledge and righteousness. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Corinthians 1:30) The world does not want this knowledge, the world has a long history of turning it’s back on God, whether it be from Cain, a murderer of his brother Abel, or even to this present day. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. (Proverbs 8:34)

For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. (Psalm 22:24)

As the Son has the power over death, so the Father raised Him from the dead. Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) (Galatians 1:1) And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: (Romans 1:4) The Spirit of God moving on the face of the deep darkness of death raised Him in the spirit of holiness, so marvelous that our hearts cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty.’ So when the Son cries unto Him, He did deliver Him out of the tomb into His present glory at the right hand of the majesty on high. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3) This is His place of power and glory that He has accomplished by His suffering on the cross. Many men have accomplished great things in their lives, but none have accomplished so great a glory through suffering. God the Father delivered His Son from the reins of death, and has set Him down at His own right hand. Psalm 2:24 also brings the work of intercession by the Lord Jesus for His own into play. He is our great High Priest and makes intercession for us. By the affliction that He suffered He knows all of our afflictions, all that we suffer for Him, He has first suffered for us. He suffered for us, and about us, in that He was tempted in all parts as we are; for this, He is able to deliver them, He is able to meet our needs and keep us from temptation. This great High Priest, not only walks among the candlesticks of the Church, but He walks within the cathedral of our hearts when we open the door to Him. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20) Then like the two on the Emmaus road our souls could say, ‘did not my soul and my heart burn within me’ as He opened all things concerning Himself from the law, and the prophets, and the book of Psalms.

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14)

And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:15)

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (Hebrews 2:16)

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17)

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)

My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. (Psalm 22:25)

My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation. (verse 25 a) Such closeness to His own that He is not ashamed to call us brethren. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, (Hebrews 2:11) The Lord Jesus as the head of the body, the Church, feeds His body with praise unto God. I have declared thy name, And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. (John 17:26) And so that name that is above every name dwells in us with His Person and love. In closing John 17 we read these wonderful words “and I in them.” Have we such as the length, and the breadth, and the height and the depth of this faith in Jesus Christ? Love lifted me out of darkness into His marvelous light. I am alive because He loved me. I am redeemed because He loved me. I will be glorified with Him because He loved me. Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live I live through the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) Of the unsearchable riches of Christ there is no voice, there is no pen that can describe those things awaiting the sons of God.

(Verse 25 b) I will pay my vows before them that fear him. The vows of the Lord Jesus, Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. (Hebrews 10:7)  

Before the whole world, He paid His vows, even unto death, the death of the cross. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: (Hebrews 10:5) A body prepared to pay His vows. A soul in complete subjection to the Father. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10) Now we enter into the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus Christ. God has taken us to a point in this Psalm when His Son is no longer on the cross, is no longer in the tomb, He is risen high above the heavens, and is sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. But this is not all, in Acts 7 we have Stephen about to be stoned, and the heaven opened, and the Lord Jesus is standing there to receive His faithful servant that His servant might enter into His rest, and this applies to all those who serve Him faithfully and love Him from the depths of their hearts. He walks in the hearts of men, He speaks to the spirit of men, He reneweth my soul, and so He leads us as the great High Priest into the holy of holies. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)

We have entered here by the blood of Christ, this is not the Old Testament atonement, or the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer, but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ; not a blood stained by sin, but a pure righteous and holy blood, the blood of God, the blood of righteousness, and the blood for our redemption. 

The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. (Psalm 22:26)

The meek shall eat and be satisfied. (verse 26 a) In Matthew 5:5 the Lord Jesus said blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. In Psalm 37:11 we have these words, But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Meekness brings peace to the soul. We live in a world that is full of vanity and pride, and the spirit of boastfulness. Men are abusive and far from meek, but the Lord shows us that meekness has the benefit of peace with Him. As He humbled Himself, even to the death of the cross, so we should walk in all humility. Will the world abuse us — yes! They do not understand divine meekness, they attribute meekness with weakness, but it is far from the opinion of the world. (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) (Numbers 12:3) Why did God give us this statement about Moses? Was not this Moses the man that stood before Pharaoh with Aaron? Was not this Moses the man who led the Israel of God out of Egypt and through the Red Sea? Was not this Moses the man who went to the top of Mount Sinai when the whole earth was shaking from the presence of God with lightings and thunderings? Was not this Moses, the man who withstood his own people when they cast a golden calf and worshiped it? Was not this Moses the one who penned the word of God when he was face to face with God?

And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle. (Exodus 33:11)

With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? (Numbers 12:8)

And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, (Deuteronomy 34:10)

Is this meekness? Yes, but it is not weakness. It is said of Moses, when he was 120 years old that his eyes had not dimmed, and his strength had not abated. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. (Deuteronomy 34:7) So too, our relationship and our love for the Lord Jesus should be in weakness in the strength of the cross.

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. (Romans 4:13)

For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. (Galatians 5:5)

For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. (2 Corinthians 13:4)

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:7, 8)

Let us now consider our Saviour, and His meekness as revealed in Philippians 2:5-8. He is the Lord of glory, He is the Captain of our salvation, He holds the wind in His fist, He upholds all things by the word of His power, He is the Omnipotent God of creation, and yet, He humbled Himself even unto the death of the cross. Though He is very God, He thought it not robbery to be equal with God, now He takes the first step to His humiliation, He humbles Himself. He made Himself of no reputation, how foreign this is to man. Man is forever exalting himself and suppressing his brothers. There is no humiliation in the heart of an unregenerate man. That is why in the Book of Philippians we are exhorted to let this mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus; a mind of meekness, and yet all the power, and all the glory of an Omnipotent God. So He becomes a servant, not just a servant of God, but the servant of men. He is found in the fashion as a man, and walks amongst man with all humility and meekness. He says of Himself, ” I am meek and I am lowly in heart.’

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:29)

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:30)

And then being found in the fashion of a man, He humbles Himself and becomes obedient to the death of the cross. Is this weakness? This One who was meek and lowly suffered on the cross all that an ungodly world could throw at Him. He suffered the sin of the world being cast upon Him. He suffered the loneliness and darkness of death away from the Father, but now in that darkness He destroyed the works of the devil, the removal of Adam’s curse was found in Him. No longer ‘we should surely die,’ but ‘in Me there is life,’ and that life not only eternal, but a glorious spiritual awakening of the soul. Is this weakness? The greatest conqueror has conquered death and hell for us. He has exalted us into His presence. His humility and the meekness of His sufferings brought Him great victory.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (Philippians 2:9)

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:10)

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:11)

God has highly exalted Him far above the heavens. The name of Jesus is now above every name. It is a name which men should bow and humble themselves before: the Son of God, the Son of man. Every knee should bow, not only here on earth, but of things in heaven. The unseen world knows His majesty more than the sons of men. They bow before Him continually and worship Him as the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. As every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father, one day in all eternity this will happen. The atheist will no longer be able to hide in the darkness of his sin, the idolater will no longer be able to worship his heathen images, and the unrepentant sinner will no longer be able to hide from the face of God; but they will be made to confess the name of Jesus as the Lord of Glory before they are cast into the eternal judgment. Would not it be better to bow the knee now, and receive eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord? Please do not hesitate, do not move, but now contemplate your eternal destiny without Christ. I leave you with the words of the Father, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This One died for you whether you receive Him or not, you cannot change His great love for man.

It is with meekness that we, as Christians, should approach a world lost in sin, we should approach the world with the power of God in the Word of God. We are made strong in weakness by the Word of His power. He has not given us the spirit of fear. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) We have His power and His presence, ‘lo I am with you always, unto the end of the world.’ His love is within us, we have the mind of Christ, which is a sound mind. All this to make us more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Romans 8:37)

they shall praise the LORD that seek him: (Psalm 22:26 b)

They shall praise the LORD that seek him. In John 1:38, the Lord asks this question to two of John’s disciples, “What seek ye?” The heart seeks the secret places of the Most High. They answer Him with a question, “where dwellest thou?” The voice of eternity from the Most High God simply said, “Come and see.” This is the message we proclaim, come and see a man which told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Christ? And the echo from Isaiah 55:6-7 is seek ye the Lord, not only do men hide themselves from God, but cover themselves in the darkness of their own sin. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: (Isaiah 55:6) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7) Men do not seek God because of sin. It is God who introduces Himself through the Holy Spirit, and gives man an opportunity to seek God; the question, “what seek ye?” needs to be answered by every man. What are you seeking today? Is it the presence of divine righteousness in Jesus Christ our Lord, or are you seeking the sin of the world? You need to answer this question from above. Isaiah 55 says “let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts,” both our actions and our knowledge needs to be put in subjection to the Lord of glory. The Lord Jesus said, “seek and ye shall find, ask and it will be given unto you.” Have we laid hold of this great treasure, salvation through Jesus Christ. Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them. (Isaiah 34:16) Once again, God rewards those who seek Him, and those of us who are redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus, He encourages us to seek out of His book, and to read concerning His glory. Our hearts will be filled with the unsearchable riches of Christ, the deeper we descend into the Word of God, the greater He is exalted before us. The less we see of ourselves, the more we see of His unsearchable riches, and the treasures that are in Jesus Christ our Lord.

 your heart shall live for ever. (Psalm 22:26c)

Your heart shall live for ever, the Lord Jesus says of His own, “I give unto them eternal life.”What great promises we have from our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, but in all things He has made us more then conquerors.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Romans 8:37)

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (Romans 8:38)

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)

Therefore, absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God that we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. As our soul has life from Him, and our spirit is born anew, our heart will live for ever in His glorious presence. Amen.

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. (Psalm 22:27)

Now we pass through time to a day when the rejected man of Calvary will rule as Lord of lords, and King of kings. He will have a rod of iron in one hand. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. (Psalm 2:9) And a scepter of righteousness in his right hand. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. (Hebrews 1:8) Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:9) He will establish His kingdom in righteousness after He puts down all His enemies. He will stand victorious in both mercy and truth, they will be met together in Him. The Lamb once slain will wear the golden crown with the royal diadem. The once lowly Jesus will come in power and strength.

Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. (Isaiah 63:1)

Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? (Isaiah 63:2)

I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. (Isaiah 63:3)

For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. (Isaiah 63:4)

And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. (Isaiah 63:5)

And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. (Isaiah 63:6)

Then He will bring in the loving kindness of the Lord, He will establish Israel as recorded in Isaiah 63:7-9.

I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. (Isaiah 63:7)

For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. (Isaiah 63:8)

In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. (Isaiah 63:9)

This will be Israel’s millennial of great joy. All the earth will be full of His glory, all the nations of the earth will bring their homage to Jerusalem and the great King, for He is truly greater than Solomon.

For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations. (Psalm 22:28)

The day will come when His kingdom is established and He is the governor of the nations. This glorious day will change the heart of Israel who has rejected Him into a heart that will cleave unto the one who they had pierced. The day of their suffering will also be over. He not only will come to put down all who opposed Him, but He will come to revive and nourish the vine of Israel; yet, who is this King?

He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (Psalm 24:5)

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. (Psalm 24:6)

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. (Psalm 24:7)

Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. (Psalm 24:8)

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. (Psalm 24:9)

Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. (Psalm 24:10)

Do you see the attitude of Israel now through this Psalm? He is their King of glory, He is their Lord of power and majesty. What great things we miss by not spending time in the Word of God and with the Person of Jesus Christ. We should desire that His presence would cause our hearts to burn within us.

Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. (Zechariah 2:10)

And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee. (Zechariah 2:11)

And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. (Zechariah 2:12)

Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation. (Zechariah 2:13)

Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:37)

Both Zechariah and John give us views of this great King. One in humiliation before Pilate. Pilate asked the question, “art thou a king?” and the Lord Jesus simply answered, “to this end was I born.” Then in Zechariah, once again, we see the fulfillment to this great end in which He was born. He was crucified in weakness, yet raised in power. He was crucified in weakness that He would be exalted in power. To this end was He born, to reign over all the earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords. The world has never been able to see the Sovereignty of this one; although the world could find no fault in Him, yet they crucified Him. But the counsels of God will be fulfilled, the gates of Jerusalem will receive their King, oh, what wonderful words ‘to this end was I born.’ And He came into the world to become a curse for us, so that the work of redemption could be complete. No other king started so lowly as a babe in a manger, and a man of sorrows on the cross; no other man has ever humbled himself to the darkness of death for those who rejected him. With the work of redemption finished, He sits at the right hand of the majesty on High, this is a new thing, a righteous man in glory on the throne of God; both as Son and man, met together in Jesus Christ. Now He awaits to set up His kingdom of glory and for His bride, the Church, He is waiting till all are gathered into His presence to reign with Him for ever. God bless our soul as we muse on these great truths, and thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.

All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. (Psalm 22:29)

In this verse we see the economy of that kingdom. The Lord will bless abundantly. The reaper will overtake the sower, and the ground will no longer have the curse. There will be abundant food and commerce, and God will place beside His great river the trees of life, and their leaves will be for the healing of the nations. These trees will bear twelve manner of fruit for the blessing for not only the nations, but for the twelve sons of Israel. And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (Revelation 22:1) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelations 22:2)

Now a final warning, or a final call to all those who were created from the dust of the ground, ‘from dust thou art and from dust thou shalt return.’ Even in this wonderful kingdom, and with the Lord in their midst, there is still a warning to all men that ‘all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.’ But He who loves the Lord knows the keeper of his soul. It is God, and God alone from Abel to now, to the millennial kingdom, and throughout all eternity that God keeps the souls of those who love Him. He is the door keeper of the soul. Just as we are flesh and bone and blood, we are also spirit, soul, and conscience. It is only through His divine mercy that He keeps us who loves the Lord Jesus. He truly restoreth my soul. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3)

A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. (Psalm 22:30)

A seed shall serve him. Abraham was called out of Ur of Chaldees when the Lord appeared unto him in His glory. (Acts 7) He promised Abraham that his seed would be as the sand of the sea, and as the stars of heaven, innumerable. I might just interject that there are an unnumerable company of angels in heaven, so it is no great thing for God to give and to keep this promise to Abraham. We see with little eyes, and we feel with little hearts, and we believe with little minds that the Spirit of God through the Word of God is able to expand all beyond our greatest thoughts in relationship to our wonderful God and Savior, Jesus Christ. The promises of God to Abraham were met in Isaac. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. (Galatians 4:28) These are the counsels of God, these truths are for the children or the sons of God. We are, like Isaac, the children of that promise to Abraham. Abraham saw the day of the Lord Jesus, not just His birth, nor just His death, but His resurrection and His great glory. Abraham communed with God, and believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness in the Lord Jesus who has fulfilled all righteousness; and in seeing His day, Abraham rejoiced in it. All these promises were given in faith that grace may abound in us. As the promised seed, the Lord was given to die upon the cross of Calvary and to give unto us eternal life. We belong to Him because of the sacrifice of Himself. We belong to Jerusalem which is above But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. (Galatians 4:26) and we serve Him as Joshua of old, but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15 b)

it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. (Psalm 22:30 b)

We are a peculiar generation. Those who love the Lord Jesus since the beginning of the Church are the longest generation on earth. We have stretched over 2000 years, and we are the generation of them who proclaim Him. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (Isaiah 53:8) This generation is the generation of Jesus Christ. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Matthew through the Spirit of God introduces us as (1)“the generation of Jesus Christ,” then the Spirit of God establishes (2) ‘the genealogy’ of the Lord Jesus; herein, we have two different movements of the Spirit of God in this first verse in Matthew. A separate generation of souls bought with the blood of Christ, who fulfilled all of Church history, until we are all gathered in and the Church is safe at home with the Lord Jesus. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. ( 1 Peter 2:9, 10) Through Peter, the Spirit of God takes us into the mystery of our generation. We are a chosen generation, before the foundation of the earth we were known in Christ. We are a royal priesthood that we may offer up to God praise and glory which is the fruit of our lips.  We are a nation that is unseen by man, and yet surrounded and unified by the Holy Spirit of God. We answer to the righteousness and the Holiness of God Almighty; yet, to the world we are truly a peculiar people.  We have been completely changed from darkness to light. We have been given an unction which is the Holy Spirit of God. We are no longer citizens of this world, but our presence is with Christ in glory. As this unseen nation we walk amongst the darkness of this world, bearing the torch of light and life in the Person of Christ. There has never been a people like us on this earth. Though foreigners and though we would rather depart, we are energized by the Spirit of God, and the Word of truth for the saving of man. We are not saviors, just messengers of His great glory, for this we await for the final words we will hear as we leave this earth “enter into my rest, good and faithful servant.’ Does this not make us peculiar?

They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. (Psalm 22:31)

We come now to the final verse of this majestic psalm. We shall come and declare His righteousness. We shall declare His loving kindness. We shall declare that in Him is both grace and truth. A life time can be spent declaring the righteousness of God, and it is but just a moment in eternity. We have been given the opportunity by the Sovereign of all things to tell others of His great love. Truly the world knows not this love and this kindness; but we, as the receivers of His blessings, and His righteousness must continue to declare unto a people who shall be born. Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? . . . Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3)

As we have declared that we are a nation unto God, so this nation is added to each time a soul repents and calls out for the mercy of God. We are not born of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of the will of God through the Holy Spirit changing us from darkness to light. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:13)

We are the generation of that seed. We are part of those who are born from above, and this verse in Psalm 22 continues with that he hath done this. This is the generation of those who seek Thy face, O Lord. We have the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, He sets His seal upon us that we might proclaim to the world that he hath done this. In closing, the Spirit of God takes us back to the first verse, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Our entire journey through this Psalm has revealed the reverberating love of God in Christ’s sufferings. Should we be quiet in this great and wonderful mystery? We stand on a mountain of God’s love, from here we herald the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the closing of this Psalm there is one last step in the glorious love of the Lord Jesus Christ in that He puts in us an unrelenting spirit that we should declare His generation. Blessed be the name of the Lord and even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen. So we will declare the decree that he hath done this. May the Lord bless you in this mediation of Psalm 22, for He has surely blessed me in heart, soul and spirit — and may the Lord of Glory bless you. Amen.

© Copyright 2015, Michael Haigh

This article may be used, but not for gain. “Freely ye have received, freely give.”

All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)